Refrigerator cabinet



D. F. NEWMAN RERIGERATOR CABINET Filed June 8, 1934 f Inventor; Delbert F Newmom s, @wlw H S Attorney Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNITED s'rirrizs PATENT ori-lcs BEFRIGERATOR CABINET I Delbert F. Newman, Schenectady, N. Y., assigner to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application June 8, 1934, SerialNo. 729,622

3 Claims. (Cl. ZZV-9) My invention relates to refrigerator cabinets, and particularly to door frame constructions for such cabinets.

In constructing refrigerator cabinets it is de- Ii sirable that the admission of moist air to the Arefrigerator cabinet having an improved door frame, which may be readily attached in such manner as t'o seal the joint between the door frame and the cabinet walls.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which Fig. l is an elevation partly in section of the top of a refrigerator cabinet embodying my invention, and Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the insulated door frame shown in Fig. l.

Referring now to. Fig. 1, I have shown a re frigerator cabinet I0 comprising inner and outer metal walls II and I2 respectively and a body of insulation I3 filling the space between the walls. The walls I I and I2 terminate about a door opening which is provided with a unitary framel I4 comprising four integral strips of molded hard rubber or other suitable moisture impervious material of low heat conductivity such as a resinous condensation product. A door I5 hinged to the cabinet at I6 is provided to close the door opening. A gasket I'I secured about the under edge of the rim of the door seals the door opening \when the door is closed.

In accordance with my invention, a sealed joint is provided between the door frame I4 and the wall of the cabinet. As clearly shown in Fig. 2, the' joint betweenthe inner metal wall of the cabinet and the frame I4 includes a roll or bead I8 along the upper end of the inner wall II and a. groove I9 conforming to the bead, in the frame I4 which' extends around the lower edge thereof,

and fits closely over the'bead I8. The wall II and frame Ill are clamped together by bridging members 20 and screws 2l threaded within bosses 22 formed at intervals around the outside of the frame I4. In order to press the bead I8 firmly into the groove I 8 in the frame I4, the bridging members 20 are bent to provide portions 23 extending Into the bead I 8 and the outer edges of the bridging members rest on projections 24 formed on the bosses 22. It' is apparent that 10 when the screws 2| are tightened the portions 23 of the lugs will force the bead I8 into the groove I9 and thereby clamp together the wall II and the frame I4. In order to secure the frame I4 to the portion of the outer wan l2 ex- 13 tending over the upper side of the frame, a shoulder 25 is provided about the upper edge of the frame and a flange 26 on the wall I2 is turned down over the shoulder 25. A plurality of screws 21 threaded into the upper ends of the bosses 22 20 secure the wall I2 to the frame I4. These joints between the frame and the walls II and I2 may be tightened with suilicient pressure to seal the joints against admission of air due to changes of temperature in the insulation space between the 25 walls.

However, I may use a cement between the frame and thel walls to insure a more positive seal. It is apparentV from'the foregoing that thewalls II and I2 are securely 'fastened and sealed cto the frame I4 and that the entire construction 'fao is simple and rugged.

While I have shown my invention as applied to a refrigerator cabinet, I do not desire myinvention to be limited to the specific construction shown and described, and I intend in the ap- 3 pended claims to cover all modifications within the spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A refrigerator cabinet having a door opening 4 and comprising spaced inner and outer metallic walls, heat insulating material between said walls, a bead formed on one of'said walls about said door opening, a strip of moisture impervious material of low heat conductivity arranged between said walls about said door opening and having a groove engaging said bead, and means including a bridging member secured to said strip and having a portion thereof engaging said bead for securing said strip to said one wall and for clamping said bead in said groove.4

2. A refrigerator cabinet having a door opening and comprising spaced inner and outer metallic walls, heat insulating material between said walls,

a bead formed in one of said walls about said door 5 opening, a unitary frame (of moisture impervious material and of low heat conductivity connecting said Walls about said door opening and having a groove engaging said bead, and means including a bridging member secured to said frame and having a portion thereof engaging said bead for securing said frame to said one wail and for clamping said bead in said groove.

3. A refrigerator cabinet having a door opening and comprising spaced inner and outer metallic walls, heat insulating material between said Walls, a bead formed on one of said walls about said door opening, a unitary frame of moisture impervious material and of low. heat conductivity extending between said walls and about said door opening and having a groove engaging said bead, a plurality of bosses on said frame, and means including a bridging member secured to each of said bosses and having a. portion engagingsaid bead and another portion engaging said boss for securing said trame to said one wall and for clamping said bead in said groove.

DEL'BERT F. NEWMAN. 

